Wall insulation



Nov. 14, 1939.

E. H. WENZEL WALL INSULATION Filed March 18, 1937 INVENTOR. fpw/m 17. Wf/VZ/EZ ATTORNEY.

Patented Non-14, 1939 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALL INSULATION Edwin H. Wenzel, Fox Point, Wis.

Application March 18, 1937, Serial No. 131,541

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of thermal insulation of walls and the like. The invention is particularly applicable to building walls, including ceilings, partitions, and the like. It is also applicable to other wall structures where a temperature difference exists on opposite sides thereof, as for example, with respect to refrigerating containers and vehicle bodies requiring thermal insulation.

At the present time it is the general practice to insulate building walls in particular with blankets, mats or fillings of rock wool, glass wool, mineral wool or other substantially dry, closely co-ordlnated, fiber or particle-like insulation providing material. One of the objections to the use of these materials is that no effort has been heretofore made to eliminate the dew or condensation which exists in all of these structures when there is a substantial dlfierence of temperature on opposite sides of the wall structure, and more especially so where air conditioning exists which adds moisture to the warmer air on the warmer side of the wall structure. In such cases, the moisture carried by the warmer air penetrates into the insulation medium, and such moisture condenses on and within the insulation medium on contact with the colder air to which the medium is exposed on the colder side of the wall structure. It has been shown by experience that the infiltration of moisture into the insulating medium under practically all conditions is far too rapid for the colder air to naturally absorb and carry such moisture away in gaseous form before condensation can occur. Hence, in extreme cold weather the condensate freezes, depositing a layer of frost or ice on the colder side of the insulation medium as well as on the inside of the wall structure and piling up within the medium to reduce its effectiveness as a thermal insulator.

It is the object and purpose of my invention to provide in connection with this insulation medium means which will either bar the infiltration of moisture into the insulating medium or so retard the flow of moisture into such medium that the colder air may remove the moisture by natural action before condensation can result. In short, the main purpose of my invention is to seal the warmer side of the insulation layer against moisture tration from the warmer side, whereby the insulation medium may have an opportunity to breathe on the colder side of the wall structure, and thus serve as an efiective insulator under all conditions of temperature difference on opposite sides of the insulation layer.

In accordance with my invention, the barrier referred to may be in the form of a coating of moisture proof substance sprayed on and over the insulation medium and in integral sealing engagement with the wall structure at the edges of said medium, or said barrier may take the form of a pre-formed sheet of moisture repellent material applied over the insulation layer and sealed at the edges of said layer to prevent the passage of moisture through the insulation layer. In either case, the infiltration of moisture into the insulation medium from the warmer side is so controlled, if not actually blocked, that the colder air on the opposite side of the barrier may remove any moisture entering the insulation medium so that no opportunity is afforded for condensation to take'place, even when moisture is added to the warmer air by air conditioning or other means.

An efi'ective means for carrying out the object of my invention may comprise a coating of what is called SprayO-Flake which, in addition to containing a moisture repellent agent such as asphaltum, also contains particles of highly efficient thermal insulation material of the fiber variety. These particles are distributed throughout the moisture resistant substance, and give support to the coating and to the insulation layer. The adhesive nature of. the moisture repellent substance, which is applied to the insulation layer in fiowable form serves as a binder to adhere the particles together and to the supporting wall structure. This binder also bonds the coating to the insulation layer and to the wall structure at the boundary thereof, and seals the insulation against moisture infiltration from the warmer side of the structure.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating an embodiment of my invention- Fig. I is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a building wall structure insulated in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view illustrating a modified form of structure to be hereinafter described.

The wall structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an outer layer B of boards, siding, sheathing or other wall forming material. The layer l is-secured to and supported by the structural elements of the wall, which elements as shown in Fig. 1 include upright studs 2, 2, and a lower stringer 3.

The insulatiomqlmedium is marked t. This medium may comprise a layer of rock wool, glass wool, mineral wool or other fiber or particlelike insulation providing material used for wall insulation. In, Figs. 1 and 2, the layer 4 is disposed in the wall space between the studs 2 and directly against the outer layer I of the wall. The layer 4 is disposed to the depth desired, and is usually terminated somewhat short of the inner surfaces of the studs as shown.

The coating or layer of moisture resistance material is indicated at 5 in Figs. 1 and 2. This coating completely covers the surface or side of the insulation layer 4 adjacent to the inner side of the wall structure. The coating 5 extends to and has integral sealing relation with the wall structure at the edges of the insulation layer 4. In Figs. 1 and 2, the coating 5 is applied to the layer 4 in flowable form by means of a spray, a spray nozzle being shown at 6. The latter handles the thermal insulation particles and the binder substance which adheres the particles to each other and to the wall structure. The binder substance may comprise an emulsified asphaltum or other sprayable moisture proof material, and with the form of spray gun shown at 6, the binder is applied to the insulation particles following their discharge from the gun and before the particles reach the wall surface. This conforms to the spraying method disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,718,507, granted July 25, 1929. This material constitutes the so-called SprayO- Flake" heretofore mentioned. The coating 5, not only extends to the studs 2 and the stringer 3, but extends to the structural element at the upper end of the wall space in which the insulation layer 4 is located in the specific arrangement shown in Fig. 1. In all installations, the coating or barrier layer is in integral sealing relation with the insulation layer and wall structure at the edges of the insulation layer as heretofore mentioned. This is due to the fact that the binder material contained in the barrier layer 5 is in flowable form when sprayed on the insulation layer and the surrounding wall structure and has adhesive qualities causing the barrier layer to adhere throughout to the fibers of the insulation layer and to the wall structure about and along the edges of the insulation layer. Hence, the barrier layer by reason of its adherent nature becomes in effect integrally joined to the fiber layer and to the wall structure in a continuous bond along the contacting surfaces of the two layers.

Fig. 3 shows an air space 9 between the outer surface of the insulation layer 4a and the siding or outside wall layer la. This provides for the circulation of air over the outer surface of the insulation layer 4a to facilitate carrying away any moisture which may find entry into the insulation layer 4a from either side of the wall structure. The opposite surface of the insulation layer 4a is integrally sealed as to the warmer side of the wall by a moisture proof barrier 5 as before.

In the two forms shown, each barrier 5 separates and seals the insulation layer from the warmer side of the wall structure, and prevents or barsthe infiltration of moisture into the insulation layer to an extent such that the colder air on the colder side of the wall structure may remove the moisture before condensation can occur. This improves the use of insulation of the character referred to for building and other walls and renders such material eflicient as a thermal insulator under all conditions of temperature differential on opposite sides of the wall.

anaeve Usually the binder substance of the sprayed coating or layer 5 is applied to the wall structure in the spraying operation at ordinary temperatures. Drying of the coating on the wall structures may be facilitated however by applying the mixture in a pre-heated state. This will promote easier flowing for the sprayed material. Also, in the heated state the mixture will set more rapidly when exposed to normal temperatures. Applying a heated mixture will be more expedient especially when quick drying is to be desired as required on production lines.

My invention may also serve as a sound dampener for wall structures. The materials employed by reason of their resilient or yieldable character renders them effective vibration absorbers. Also, the innermost layer of the combination may be disposed to serve as a finishing coat for the inside of the wall and thus avoid the expense and use of plaster for this purpose. In that event, the innermost layer may be colored or painted as required for the inside decoration.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, except as pointed out in the annexed claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a building wall subject to temperature differences on its opposite sides and formed to have a wall surface on its cooler side and a cavity on its warmer side, of a thermal insulation layer of a homogeneous mass of fibrous particles of insulation material filling the cavity to an appreciable depth and extending to and in contact with the wall structure along the edges of said insulation layer, and a moisture proof barrier of unfelted fibrous material traversing the cavity over the surface of the insulation layer facing the warmer side of the wall structure and in sealed engagement therewith at all the boundaries of the cavity to divide the insulation layer from the warmer side of the wall structure and so preclude moisture infiltration into the layer through the barrier as to guard against condensation taking place within the layer by exposure to the colder side of the wall structure, said barrier being applied to said layer by forcible projection to a thickness sufficient to lend support to said layer and containing a moisture resistant adhesive material distributed throughout the barrier to bond the barrier to the fibers of the insulation layer along the contact of the barrier with the insulation layer and to integrally seal the barrier to the wall structure along all the edges of the insulation layer.

2. The combination with a building wall subject to temperature differences on its opposite sides, of a thermal insulation layer comprising a homogeneous mass of fibrous particles of insulation material, presenting inner and outer faces the outer face of said layer being opposed to said Wall and the inner face of said layer being disposed away from said wall, and a moisture proof barrier of unfelted fibrous material overlying and sealed to the whole of said inner face of the layer and sealed directly to the wall at all terminal points of said layer, said barrier containing a moisture resistant adhesive material and being applied to said inner layer face by projection to a thickness sufdcient to lend support to said layer and seal it against ingress of moisture.

EDWIN H. WENZEL. 

